Wednesday, March 19, 2008

All of my adult life, I have admired a select few writers and have allowed them to influence my philosophy in life.

Clarke made some incredible contributions to science, technology and communications as well as his imaginary world in Sci-Fi novels. Like the late Isaac Asimov, I reflect on the novels I had read from these giants as friendly moments in my own journey.

Clarke has left written instructions that his funeral be completely secular, indicating that even in death, he would not compromise his secular vision. The AP has his recent quote: ‘Absolutely no religious rites of any kind, relating to any religious faith, should be associated with my funeral,"

If you haven’t read any of his fiction before, start with: Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, and The Songs of Distant Earth. Those were fun to read. He wrote more than 100 non-fiction books on space, science and the future but is most remembered for his unnerving artificial intelligence screenplay Space Odyssey 2001.

The AP also noted Clarke’s statement: "Sometimes I am asked how I would like to be remembered, I have had a diverse career as a writer, underwater explorer and space promoter. Of all these, I would like to be remembered as a writer."

I have to agree. He just finished reviewing his last collaboration with Frederik Pohl named, The Last Theorem, due out this fall. I will make a point to read this one in his honor. (when I find the time)